How much funding can be received?

Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $50000 per project.

What is the deadline to apply?

The deadline to apply is 2027-09-30T00:00:00Z.

Who are the financial supporters of the AgriAssurance Program — Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises?

AgriAssurance Program — Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises is funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), Government of Canada

What are AgriAssurance Program — Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises's eligibility criterias?

You must be a for-profit organization operating in the agriculture, agri-food, or related industry, including fish and seafood. Your organization must have up to 500 full-time equivalent employees and annual revenues not exceeding $100 million. Your project must focus on meeting initial market-specific certification requirements.

AgriAssurance Program — Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Last Update: July 22, 2025

Canada

Funding to address agribusiness market and regulatory requirements

AgriAssurance Program — Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises at a glance

Eligible Funding

Max. $50,000
Up to 50% of project cost

Timeline

Open Date : March 6, 2023
Closing date : September 30, 2027

Financing Type

Grant and Funding

Eligible Industries

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Grant Providers

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Government of Canada

Status

Open

Overview of the AgriAssurance Program — Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises program

Get up to $50,000 to implement third-party assurance certification projects that will help your company address international market requirements.

Financing terms and conditions

This grant provides a structured approach to funding, designed to support the development and implementation of assurance systems in Canadian agriculture and agri-food sectors. It involves cost-sharing between Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the recipient with specific contribution limits.

Maximum AAFC contribution normally does not exceed $50,000 per project.
Total funding for multiple projects under this component is capped at $100,000.
AAFC provides up to 50% of eligible project costs.
The recipient must provide a minimum of 50% of eligible costs as cash contributions; in-kind contributions are not eligible for this component.

Eligible projects & activities

This grant supports small and medium-sized enterprises in the Canadian agricultural and agri-food sector to adopt assurance systems needed for market access. Eligible projects are focused on obtaining necessary certifications to meet specific export or domestic market requirements.

Contracting professional services for obtaining certifications required for market access.
Funding salaries for staff involved in developing documentation or training related to certification processes.
Covering travel costs associated with obtaining necessary certifications.
Paying for lab testing expenses required to gain certification or market recognition.

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 50,000

Implementing a comprehensive assurance system for maple syrup exports

$ 50,000

Establishing a verification system for organic honey exports

$ 50,000

Implementing a quality assurance system for organic produce export

$ 50,000

Implementing a certification system for Indigenous organic beef exports

$ 45,000

Developing a risk management system for seafood exports

$ 50,000

Enhancing dairy product safety and quality assurance

Eligibility criteria of the AgriAssurance Program — Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises program

Eligibility for this program requires applicants to meet specific criteria related to their organizational profile and project focus.

You must be a for-profit organization.
Eligible for-profit organizations include partnerships, corporations, co-operatives (for-profit), and communes (for-profit).
Indigenous organizations or individuals that are First Nation, Métis, or Inuit are also eligible.
Your operations must be within the agriculture, agri-food, and agri-products industry, including the fish and seafood industry.
Your business must be directly involved in growing, harvesting, processing, or transforming products.
Your project must be aimed at meeting market-specific certification requirements and must be for initial certifications only.
You must have up to 500 full-time equivalent employees.
Your annual revenues must not exceed $100 million.
You must be a legal entity capable of entering into legally binding agreements.

Who is eligible?

The AgriAssurance Program for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) targets for-profit organizations operating in the agriculture, agri-food, and agri-products industry, including the fish and seafood industry, that are directly involved in growing, harvesting, processing, or transforming their products. Eligible applicants must have up to 500 full-time equivalent employees, and their annual revenues should not exceed $100 million. Additionally, they must be legal entities capable of entering into legally binding agreements and aiming to meet market-specific certification requirements for the first time. Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit) individuals or organizations that are for-profit, as well as partnerships, corporations, co-operatives, or communes, are included as potential eligible applicants.

Who is not eligible

The eligibility criteria and restrictions in the given context do not explicitly exclude any particular types of companies or industries. The focus is on those that meet specific eligibility criteria such as being a for-profit organization and operating within eligible sectors.

Eligible expenses

The grant allows for a range of eligible expenses directly related to the project activities and goals.

Salaries and benefits for staff executing project work plan activities, including MERCs, EI, CPP/QPP, vacation pay, and benefits.
Professional or specialized contracted services such as inspection, consultancy, financial auditing, environmental assessments, and interpretation or translation services.
Travel expenses integral to the project, including per diems for accommodations, meals, incidentals, and transportation (e.g., air, rail, and vehicle transportation).
Costs for eligible carbon offset credits from verified vendors adhering to internationally agreed standards.
Other direct project costs like shipping, conference and registration fees, marketing costs related to producing materials/documents, and translation services.

Eligibility criteria of the AgriAssurance Program — Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises program

The evaluation and selection of projects for this grant are based on specific criteria to ensure that the projects meet the overall objectives and deliver targeted outcomes effectively.

The application is complete and the proposed project is eligible.
The proposed activities and outcomes support the program objectives.
All funding sources for the proposed project are identified.
The capacity of the applicant to deliver the project, considering resources and timelines.
The eligibility, reasonableness, and necessity of the proposed activities and costs.

How to apply to the AgriAssurance Program — Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises program

Access Program Information

Visit the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) website to access program details.

Secure Sign-in

Choose a secure method to sign in or sign up on the AAFC portal.

Start Application Process

Initiate a new application for the AgriAssurance Program under the Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Component.

Download Required Forms

Download the application form, SME Questionnaire, and Detailed Project Budget form from the portal.

Complete Forms

Fill out the AgriAssurance Program Application Form, the SME Questionnaire, and the Detailed Project Budget.

Upload Documents

Prepare and upload the organization’s Certificates or Articles of Incorporation or alternatives.
Attach the last two years’ financial statements.

Complete Application Details

Ensure all parts of the application are filled out correctly.

Submit Application

Submit the completed application through the AAFC portal.

Additional information

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

The program ends on March 31, 2028, meaning all project activities should be completed by then.
Funding is available on a cost-sharing basis, with AAFC covering up to 50% of eligible project costs.
All project costs are only eligible if incurred after April 1, 2023, and not before the application is deemed complete by AAFC.
While in-kind contributions are not eligible towards your cost-share, they can still contribute towards project success.
M-30 legislation may apply to applicants based in Quebec, requiring compliance during the application process.
Intellectual property resulting from funded projects generally remains with the applicant, though certain rights may be granted to AAFC.
Travel costs are structured with specific eligible rates and methods for reimbursement, subject to outlined limitations.